| Scarlet dragonfly | |
|---|---|
_male_Cyprus.jpg) | |
| Male, Cyprus | |
_female_Bulgaria.jpg) | |
| Female, Bulgaria | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
| Family: | Libellulidae |
| Genus: | Crocothemis |
| Species: | C. erythraea |
| Binomial name | |
| Crocothemis erythraea (Brullé, 1832) | |
Thescarlet dragonfly (Crocothemis erythraea) is aspecies ofdragonfly in thefamilyLibellulidae. Its common names includebroad scarlet,common scarlet-darter, andscarlet darter.[1]
The scarlet dragonfly is a common species insouthern Europe and throughoutAfrica. It also occurs across westernAsia as far as southernChina.[1] It is a very rarevagrant inBritain. Its first record in the country was atHayle Kimbro Pool,The Lizard,Cornwall, on 7 August 1995. Since then there have been a few further records at scattered locations throughout Britain.[2]
A wide range of both running and standing waters, except those that are shaded. Adults may be found some distance from water in habitats ranging from desert to open woodland; absent from dense forest.[1][3]
Crocothemis erythraea can reach a length of 33–44 millimetres (1.3–1.7 in). These dragonflies haves a flattened and rather broad abdomen. The adult male scarlet dragonfly has a bright scarlet red, widenedabdomen, with small amber patches at the bases of the hindwings. Also the veins on the leading edges of the wings are red. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of thethorax.[4][5]
_female_2_Bulgaria.jpg)
Media related toCrocothemis erythraea at Wikimedia Commons